Sex and the Space Invaders: Strip Club Slash Game Room Raided in North Houston

Normally, when two or more businesses operate out of the same location, it would be expected that they share some commonality that makes putting them both there logical. Getting Kentucky Fried chicken is great, sure, but what if your kids want pizza and your stoned buddy wants Taco Bell? Voilà! The Kentucky Fried Chicken-Pizza Hut-Taco Bell. Genius.

Then there's that age-old problem of when you just want to play video games but your best buddy is in town and he wants to see some strippers, and not just on Cinemax. What do you do? Well, until last week, you could head over to Houston Dolls Cabaret at 313 Rankin Road. Contained inside were naked ladies and the Amusement Game Room, which seems sorta like a match made in heaven for a very specific demographic.

Unfortunately, the Harris County Sheriff's Office Vice Division shut the whole pleasure palace down last week because the ladies were performing more than lap dances and Galaga wasn't the only game being played in the game room. You don't say!

According to a release from the HCSO, the raid Thursday night led to over a dozen arrests, including a Salvadoran man wanted for murder in his home country, and the confiscation of $25,000 in cash and more than 70 gambling device mother boards. Not surprisingly, there were some drug violations as well. There are rumors that even Ms. Pac Man was chomping blue ghosts wearing nothing but a thong, not even her signature hair ribbon. For shame.

Citizen complaints apparently led to the HCSO's visit to Houston Dolls. The complaints included prostitution, drug dealing and violation of the city's Sexually Oriented Business ordinances. Drugs were recovered from the scene and deputies found evidence of sexual activity. There was no additional description of what constituted evidence, thank Jesus.

The "Amusement Game Room" was dismantled by deputies. It turns out it wasn't an arcade after all but a gambling establishment. I guess it's time to start checking out Chuck E. Cheese's. Is that really skee ball? Are those tickets really just for prizes? And are those animatronic animals REALLY animatronic? Inquiring minds want to know.

Other arrests are expected in this particular case. No word on whether Ms. Pac Man was released or if they found her ribbon. When asked for a comment, Pac Man said, "Wokka wokka wokka." Sad.

Jeff Balke is a writer, editor, photographer, tech expert and native Houstonian. He has written for a wide range of publications and co-authored the official 50th anniversary book for the Houston Rockets.